DETROIT -- William Clay Ford, the last surviving grandchild of automotive pioneer Henry Ford and owner of the Detroit Lions, has died. [url=http://www.footballbrownsnflprostore.com/Youth-Britton-Colquitt-Elite-Jersey/]Britton Colquitt Jersey[/url] . He wa

DETROIT -- William Clay Ford, the last surviving grandchild of automotive pioneer Henry Ford and owner of the Detroit Lions, has died. Britton Colquitt Jersey . He was 88. Ford Motor Co. said in a statement Sunday that Ford died of pneumonia at his home in Grosse Pointe, Mich.
Ford helped steer the family business for more than five decades. He bought one of his own, the NFL franchise in the Motor City, a half-century ago.
He served as an employee and board member of the automaker for more than half of its 100-year history. "My father was a great business leader and
humanitarian who dedicated his life to the company and the community," William Clay Ford Jr., executive chairman of Ford Motor Co. and Lions vice
chairman, said in a statement. "He also was a wonderful family man, a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be greatly
missed by everyone who knew him, yet he will continue to inspire us all." Ford was regarded as a dignified man by the select few who seemed to know
him well. To the masses in Detroit, he was simply the owner of the Lions who struggled to achieve success on the field despite showing his passion for
winning by spending money on free agents, coaches, executives and facilities. Fords first full season leading the Lions was in 1964, seven years after
the franchise won the NFL title. The lone playoff victory he enjoyed was in 1992. The Lions are the only team to go 0-16 in a season, hitting rock
bottom in 2008. After an 11-year drought, the Lions improved enough to make the playoffs in 2011 only to lose a combined 21 games over the next two
seasons. "No owner loved his team more than Mr. Ford loved the Lions," Lions President Tom Lewand said in a statement released by the team. "Those of
us who had the opportunity to work for Mr. Ford knew of his unyielding passion for his family, the Lions and the city of Detroit. His leadership,
integrity, kindness, humility and good humour were matched only by his desire to bring a Super Bowl championship to the Lions and to our community.
"Each of us in the organization will continue to relentlessly pursue that goal in his honour." Born into an automotive fortune in 1925 bearing what
was already a household name, Ford was 23 when he joined the Ford Motor Co. board of directors in 1948, one year after the death of his grandfather,
Henry Ford. He maintained as low a profile as his name would allow, serving on various executive committees and spearheading the design, development
and introduction of the Continental Mark II in 1956. He was elected a Ford vice chairman in 1980 and retired with that title in 1989. Ford remained a
company director until 2005, later taking the title of director emeritus. "Mr. Ford had a profound impact on Ford Motor Company," Ford CEO Alan
Mulally said in a statement. "The company extends its deepest sympathies to the many members of the extended Ford family at this difficult time. While
we mourn Mr. Fords death, we also are grateful for his many contributions to the company and the auto industry." He helped institutionalize the
practice of professional management atop the company that began with the naming of Philip Caldwell as Ford CEO in 1979 and as Ford chairman in March
1980, without relinquishing the Ford familys control. As a board member, Ford helped bring the company back under his familys control in 2001, when
the directors ousted former CEO Jacques Nasser in favour of William Clay Ford Jr. The youngest of Edsel B. Fords four children, Ford Sr. was first
elected to the Ford Motor Co. board in June 1948. He rarely spoke publicly but was reflective during the companys centennial year in 2003. At the
annual meeting, he told stories about his grandfather teaching him to drive at age 10, and of being taken for his first airplane ride in a Ford
Tri-Motor by Charles Lindbergh. "I just want you to know that we have tremendous pride in the Ford name," he told the shareholders more than a decade
ago. "We have a spirit of working together, and we have a passion for cars. And we also have a great desire to see the Ford name in the forefront of
world transportation." Ford always kept the Lions close to his heart. He knew how much the team meant to people who lived in or grew up in Michigan.
"I think sports are a wonderful diversion," Ford told The Detroit News in 1980. "People can relate to sports very easily. Its a quick study." But
while each of the Motor Citys other three professional franchises -- the Red Wings, Pistons and Tigers -- won at least one championship, the Lions
were synonymous with losing under Ford. He seemed to lead the Lions with a light touch, leaving most decisions up to administrators such as Russ
Thomas, Chuck Schmidt, Matt Millen and current general manager Martin Mayhew. Even though the franchise rarely produced a successful product, the
stands are usually filled with fans desperate to witness a winner. "Detroit, and Im not blowing smoke at anybody, is probably the greatest fan sports
town in the country," Ford told The News in 1980, the year after a 2-14 team set a franchise attendance record. "Theyll support anything." Ford moved
the club from Tiger Stadium in Detroit to the Pontiac Silverdome in 1975 before bringing his team back downtown. Ford Field -- a spectacular
65,000-seat, $315 million indoor stadium -- opened in 2002 that, coupled with a state-of-the-art team headquarters in nearby Allen Park, gave the
Lions the best facilities money could buy. But a blueprint for consistently winning was elusive. From Fords first season as team owner to his last,
the Lions won 310 games, lost 441 and tied 13. Ford was married to the former Martha Parke Firestone, an heiress to the Akron, Ohio, rubber fortune.
Her grandfather, Harvey Firestone, was a close friend of Henry Ford. They had three daughters, a son, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be private. Cody Kessler Jersey . George Hill had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Pacers, who stayed atop the overall NBA standings despite losing twice
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PARK, Texas -- After allowing five goals in Game 1 of the American Hockey League final, Michael Hutchinson went back to the hotel Monday night and did
his homework to prepare for Game 2 against the Texas Stars on Tuesday. That preparation was even more crucial as the Stars fired 50 shots against the
goaltender, but Hutchinson stopped 49 of them in a 2-1 victory to even up the Calder Cup final at a game apiece as it heads back to St. Johns for
Games 3 through 5. "We went over all their scoring chances and all my touches, and kind of got to see myself from a different angle," said Hutchinson.
"I think that really helped me coming into the game tonight, knowing what to expect and I was more prepared." It was one of the best individual
performances IceCaps coach Keith McCambridge had seen in more than two decades as a player and coach. "Without a doubt its up there in the top three
with a lot of good goaltenders over the years," said McCambridge. "Hes really in a zone right now. Hes really focused on making sure we got that split
on the road." Hutchinson made his biggest stops a minute apart in the third period while clinging to a 2-1 lead. With 13:05 remaining Kevin Henderson
had a point-blank chance in the slot on a rebound, but Hutchinson sprawled to his right for what McCambridge called his best save of the night. "That
was the obviously the key moment in the game for us," said McCambridge. A minute later Hutchinson made another spectacular stop, thiis time diving
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seconds into the second period when Ranford had tied the game at 1-1 for Texas. But 44 seconds later the IceCaps fourth line reinstated the lead.
Blair Riley was left wide open in front of the net and easily beat Cristopher Nilstorp with a one-timed shot off a pass from Kyle MacKinnon. Earlier
St. Johns scored on its first scoring chance 4:05 into the game. Eric ODell took a wrist shot that trickled between Nilstorps legs. Kael Mouillierat
easily tapped the puck home, making sure it crossed the line to give St. Johns a 1-0 lead. Even with all the shots he faced, Hutchinson didnt have to
make any stops on the power play. For the first time in 94 combined regular season and playoff games, the IceCaps didnt face an opposition penalty
kill. St. Johns did commit a penalty-- a roughing minor against Jordan Hill-- but it was cancelled out by a matching minor against Stars defenceman
Jamie Oleksiak. Nilstorp stopped 33 of 35 shots for Texas, and made several key stops in the second and third period to keep his team in the game.
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